The Mystery of Demeter
by A. Lee
Summary: DISCONTINUED Harry, Draco and Ron show up for the five year reunion, but where is Hermione and who is Professor Demeter?
1. Where is Hermione?

*In the process of revision*  
  
"Professor Demeter?" a student in the back raised her hand. The student had a rather exuberant look about her, with her sandy blonde hair in her a braid, her robe slightly lopsided, and her hand waving wildly in the air.  
  
The imposing brunette that was the professor stopped scraping her chalk on the blackboard, and turned to face the students she was teaching, pausing in mid-sentence. "Is there something you wanted, Miss Finnigan?" Her tone was icy and precise, enunciating each syllable over-carefully.  
  
"My older brother Seamus dormed with Harry Potter," Daisy Finnigan said, half-bragging, trying to be as tactful as she could. "He told me a bit about You-, I mean, Voldemort's defeat, but refused to tell me much. He said I would learn about it. But Professor, we've skipped entirely over Voldemort's reign in our lessons. Are we to learn about it at all?"  
  
Professor Demeter frowned. "First of all, I am the primary decision-maker on what material is taught in this class. I hope you are not presuming that you are better-suited to teach this class than me. Second of all, this class covers Magical Society and Modern Magical History. If I were to teach you about every historical event that occurred in recent years, I'm afraid that I would never have time to teach you about Magical Society. And lastly, the School Board has almost unanimously agreed that teaching about such an atrocity so soon after its occurrence will offend your sensibilities, as well as bring up many unpleasant memories. I hope that answers your question, and any future questions will relate to the lesson." She turned back to write on the board. "By the way," Professor Demeter added, "ten points from Gryffindor for asking a question not pertinent to the lesson."  
  
Professor Demeter was known to be a strict teacher, of course, but the class was infected with the giddiness that the name "Harry Potter" always brought with it, and were too busy to pay attention to her lecturing.  
  
"I heard that Harry Potter is coming back this year for his Five-Year Reunion," a loud hiss was heard in the back. The hisser was none other than Belladonna Burkes, Daisy Finnigan's best friend and fellow conspirator.  
  
"Everyone knows that. Everyone comes to his or her Five-Year Reunion. I heard it's the jolliest thing alive," Daisy whispered back, rolling her eyes dramatically.  
  
"Jolly?" Belladonna teased her friend. "Nobody says 'jolly' but you, Daisy."  
  
Both girls hushed immediately when Professor Demeter turned around. "There will be silence or fifty points will be taken off both Gryffindor and Slytherin for inattention during class," Professor Demeter said coldly. Immediate silence fell. She turned around and continued lecturing on the debate between beast and being and its reflections upon the views and prejudices of magical society.  
  
*  
  
As multitudes of twenty-two year-olds swarmed into the Great Hall, much chattering was heard. It was the Five-Year Reunion. Five years after a student graduated, he or she was invited back to Hogwarts to spend the summer there reliving their days as an innocent child, although the innocence of the child varied. Most Hogwarts alumni viewed as an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends, have some fun, and give their bosses a legitimate excuse for taking off on vacation. Those with spouses and/or significant others who did not attend Hogwarts found themselves doing their best to convince the aforementioned significant others that the Five-Year Reunion was very important.  
  
Walking through the doors now, as fashionably late as ever, were three, distinctly ruffled-looking boys. They had just flown in on broomstick, soaring above the Hogwarts Express and whooping with joy as they greeted their classmates that were seated inside. All three were swaggering, and emanated an aura that generally had girls swooning in their paths.  
  
One had pale blonde hair and silvery eyes. He was perhaps the shortest of the trio, but not by much. His once-shifty face now had a jagged scar running from underneath his left ear, along part of his jawline, curving across his cheek, and ending there. It was angry and red, and obviously an old scar, but all in all lent him a sense of danger that he found was very appealing to girls.  
  
One had red-brown hair. Instead of the flaming color it once was, it had toned down to auburn with various streaks of red. It fell over his brown eyes and gave him a to-die-for mysterious look. Of course it did-after all, he had specially combed it that way just before he walked in through the halls. He was extremely tall, and he also had a battle scar. A bit smaller, it was hidden underneath his red, fuzzy mustache that he had forgotten to shave.  
  
The last one had dark black hair and emerald green eyes. He walked with surety, not much taller than the first one, and acted as if he knew he was handsome. His glasses had gone; his eyesight had been magically healed by an Oculist, a mediwizard specializing in diseases and/or problems of the eye. His forehead still bore an ugly, yet interesting lightning bolt scar that intrigued and startled all wizards and witches who laid eyes on it. Hidden beneath his robes, a longer, wickeder-looking scar ran across his arm.  
  
"As late as ever," an icy voice said behind them. The voice was unfamiliar, and yet familiar. "Five points off each from your houses. Tsk, tsk, tsk. School hasn't even started properly, and Gryffindor and Slytherin points have already entered the negatives."  
  
They turned around and saw a new Professor they had never seen before. She had bushy brown hair put up into a strict bun. She looked young, but she had a stern look around her. In fact, she looked much like a miniature Professor McGonagall. The only difference was that there was something distinctly un-McGonagall about her, something that belied her brusque appearance and seemed to convey a sense of humor to everything. Harry could have sworn he saw a twinkle in her eyes, but it was gone before he could make sure.  
  
"I'm Professor Demeter McGonagall," she said briskly. That was strange. She looked nothing like McGonagall. Her hair, for one, always seemed ready to escape the bun, unlike the Headmistress's, whose hair would probably have stayed in a bun had she taken the charm off.  
  
Which was why Ron posed his next question. "Are you related to Professor McGonagall?" Ron asked. He ignored Draco's stomp on his foot. He didn't care if his insolence made Gryffindor's points go even further in the negatives; after all, it wasn't like this was really school again.  
  
"Well, that depends," she said, something distinctly smug about her. "But yes, I am the Headmistress's niece." She still acted as though she was telling a half-truth, and that she knew they knew she was telling a half- truth, and did not care.  
  
"How old are you?" Draco inquired. His eyes were narrowed. She looked familiar from somewhere . she had Hermione's hair, as a matter of fact, but that was about all. The similarities ended at the eyebrows down to the chin, yet those features were still vaguely recognizable as belonging to somebody he knew . as long as he could figure out who.  
  
"None of your business," Professor Demeter retorted. "Now hadn't you better go to your tables?"  
  
*  
  
There was silence throughout the Great Hall as everyone instinctively waited for Professor Dumbledore to come out of wherever he was and give the speech. Instead, Professor McGonagall stood up. That was when half of the school remembered (vaguely) that Dumbledore had retired a couple of years ago and was now happily spending the remainder of his life in Majorca (or Atlantis, depending on which rumors you believed).  
  
"Most of you know the rules of the Five-Year Reunion, but for those of you who don't . You will spend the summer doing homework, taking tests, going from class to class as if you were back in school. You will keep House points, and you will have Finals to see how much you've learned. You will get to re-choose your classes however. Let me introduce the teachers you did not encounter in your time here. In case you didn't know, I no longer teach Transfiguration. I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts, as Professor Dumbledore has retired."  
  
A silver-haired witch with enchanting blue eyes, a great figure, and almost certainly some veela ancestry stood up. "I am Professor Delacour. Some of you may remember my cousin Fleur, who was, I believe, a Triwizard champion for Beauxbatons. My extension of the family does not live in France, and I was delighted when I was invited to teach the Transfiguration class and the Magical Ancestry class."  
  
"Delacour," Ron said dazedly. Harry and Draco rolled their eyes. Of the three, Draco was immune to veela charms, being part-veela himself. Harry could stand it. Ron, on the other hand, was very susceptible to the fluttering eyelashes of the bird-women.  
  
"And to all you busybodies out there," Professor Delacour continued. "I am part-veela. My grandmother on my mother's side was a full-blooded veela, which makes me quarter-veela. I doubt you've seen me around, as my parents hired me a private tutor rather than send me to Hogwarts, which was too far from home to be convenient. And incidentally, my first name is Diana, if you care to know after you have discontinued being my students, however temporarily." Diana winked before sitting down, and Ron let out a lovelorn sigh.  
  
"I am Demeter McGonagall," spoke the professor who had just recently taken points off of Harry, Draco, and Ron. "I will tolerate no foolishness. I will tolerate no malicious gossip, and I don't like nosy busybodies. I will be teaching Magical Society and Modern Magical History, which is a new class I am hoping to see most of you in. Because this is the Five-Year- Reunion, you can take it instead of History of Magic, still taught by the late Professor Binns. I also teach the Charms class." Her mouth twisted wryly. "You may call me Professor Demeter as otherwise; you might confuse me with my adopted aunt, Headmistress McGonagall. Oh, and I am the new Head of Gryffindor House."  
  
The introductions went on and on, as most teachers had been replaced, and many new classes had been introduced to the curriculum, like Fencing and Magical Weaponry.  
  
"What are you going to take?" Ron wanted to know. He sat by Harry and across from Draco, as the Great Hall was now filled with one large table rather than four tables. This was because only one-seventh the number of students who usually ate in the Great Hall was there, and many of the one- seventh had deceased during the War.  
  
"I'm definitely taking Magical Society and Modern Magical History instead of Divination," Harry said.  
  
"Me, too," Ron said. "The new Poisons and Antidotes class sounds interesting, as well."  
  
"It would have been better had Snape taught it," Draco said tightly. Professor Snape had been his surrogate father, and he had been crushed when the Potions Master died.  
  
All three men-for they were men now, no longer boys-exchanged weary glances even as they began on their food, for the teachers had finished introducing themselves (some of them even Year-mates). Some memories of the War were too recent-too fresh to ignore. The Weasleys had suffered. Ginny and Bill were no longer in this world, and Percy and Charlie would spend the rest of their lives in St. Mungo's. Hermione's mother, father, and older brother had died in an assault from the Death Eaters. Hagrid was almost as good as new, but he now had a wooden leg, which didn't diminish his height any. Mad-Eye Moody was dead. Wormtail would spend the rest of his life in the new prison (Azkaban was banned after the Dementors turned on them). Remus and Sirius survived the War. So did Dumbledore. Snape had died, as well as Professor Sprout. The changes to the teachers at Hogwarts were immense, and sad.  
  
Many of their fellow students were gone as well. Parvati and Padma Patil were on the Missing Persons list. Dean Thomas was dead. Neville had joined his mother and father at St. Mungo's. And more. Yes, the effects of the War were large, and swiped through the generations. Now, five years after it, people still saw the changes. Even Mr. Ollivander had died. His son took over the shop and continued his ancestors' legacy.  
  
After the War, many witches and wizards had gone into depression . including Hermione. Her family dead, it took all of the people alive to pull her out of it. She had left after recovering, promising to meet them at the Five-Year Reunion. Yes, the tables at the Great Hall and the dorm rooms weren't even close to being as filled as they once were. Many students were now orphans, and barely a family had passed through it unscathed.  
  
Harry and Ron turned their gaze on Malfoy. Draco Malfoy had perhaps changed the most during the War. He had abandoned his father and run away with his mother, for both refused to go over to Voldemort. Wormtail had murdered his mother, but he had the pleasure of personally being there and helping to destroy Voldemort. That had only been a small consolation, however.  
  
Harry had moved in with Sirius after the war. Remus had been busy with Ministry work. Sirius was cleared of course, but he preferred being secluded, where no one would flinch if they saw him. Ron had returned to his much subdued family. They had pretty much led separate lives for the last five years, but now, they were reunited, and as the Prowlers, as they liked calling themselves, they were prepared to make this summer the best of their lives.  
  
But Hermione had kept out of touch with them. Yes, they received letters from her on their birthdays and their owls were always able to find her and give her birthday presents and such. She sent little tidbits and snippets she found interesting in the Daily Prophet, but nothing about her life. They imagined that she probably spent her life as a Muggle, or as some obscure witch doing backbreaking research in some secluded section of the world. They hadn't seen here for the two years after the wall, although she had promised them she would be there to greet them at the Five-Year Reunion.  
  
And here they were, back at good old Hogwarts . but Hogwarts was no longer the place it once was. Over half of the teachers were gone, either dead or retired. Dumbledore was residing peacefully in Atlantis (or Majorca), spending the last of his days on that peaceful underwater island (or . actually, Harry wasn't sure exactly what Majorca was). And they had new classes, too-much more than they used to have.  
  
Not only were there the usual Muggle classes and Arithmancy and History of Magic and Divination, there were classes specializing in the Merlin Age, or the defeat of Grindelwald, and even Voldemort.  
  
There were classes discussing similarities between Muggle fairy tales and what really happened, as well as classes on Magical Cooking, Magical Cleaning, Magical Sewing, Magical Housewifery, the best way to Research Magically . the list went on and on.  
  
There were classes specializing in certain areas of Astrology, of Arithmancy, or Ancient Runes, and even classes specializing in the importance of the stability of Time. Ever since Mr. Fudge had retired from being Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts had got a larger budget, and was allowed to evolve how they liked, instead of being contained in a rubric stated by the Minister of Magic. In fact, the current Minster of Magic was Lee Jordan, who had sobered up after the war. Lee still loved Hogwarts, and was a jovial Minister of Magic. Mr. Weasley had been asked, of course, but he had refused, for health reasons as well as for the fact that he simply didn't want to.  
  
Oh, yes, Hogwarts was very different.  
  
*  
  
"Our first class of Magical Society and Modern Magical History is going to be spent previewing the curriculum," Professor Demeter said. "I shall be handing out books."  
  
Harry, Ron, and Draco were sitting together in the corner, and looked casually down at their books. The Secrets of Magical Society by Hermione Granger and Modern Magical History by Hermione Granger.  
  
"These are written by Hermione," Ron whispered. He had a look of shock upon his face, although he had always suspected Hermione would write textbooks one day.  
  
"As you can see already," Professor Demeter said. "The author of both books is one and the same. Hermione Granger is an author of several textbooks, but she seems to specialize in the subject I teach, so on research projects, I suggest you refer to her books. There are few books that go into detail as hers or even approach this subject.  
  
"Another good author would be Lilia Phaeton, who writes books on wide subjects, and is currently writing a biography of one Harry Potter," this was said amusedly, to the horror of Harry. "She writes many books in the What you didn't know. series, such as What you didn't know about the Ministry of Magic, and such, where she talks about things you didn't know: good and bad. Any questions so far?"  
  
No one raised his or her hand.  
  
"All right," Professor Demeter continued. "During the first trimester (less than month, really), we shall be talking about the Magical Society, and natural and unnatural prejudices. We shall talk about how these prejudices originated, and we shall talk about other things in the Magical Society we normally take for granted. In the second trimester, we shall be learning about History, covering the Rise and Fall of Grindelwald, the Sorcerer's Stone, and the Origins of Atlantis, to begin with. The last part of the summer shall be spent on a research project that is 50% of your grade."  
  
"Professor Demeter," Ron raised his hand.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you know where Hermione is? I know she registered for the Five-Year Reunion."  
  
"Oh, yes. Hermione is very busy with her job currently, and cannot attend the Five-Year Reunion. However, I do send the lessons to her (as her Head of House), and she does the homework and takes the quizzes, and she assures you that she shall be here for the End-of-Summer Ball."  
  
"Ball?" Murmurs went throughout the classroom.  
  
Professor Demeter stared around her with surprise. "Why, do you not know of the End-of-Summer Ball? Surely one of your brothers or sisters will have . I mean, didn't Headmistress McGonagall tell you?" She skillfully skirted the fact that most of their brothers and sisters were probably dead, or did not have a Five-Year-Reunion because of the War.  
  
And so the first-no, second day ended at Hogwarts. (At least, for now.)  
  
To be continued . 


	2. War of the Houses

Story 10 - Part 2  
  
Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley were currently conversing heatedly in the Great Hall. A week had passed already, and not one prank had been pulled. Of course, Harry, Ron, and Draco were attempting to remedy that, but to no avail. They just couldn't think a prank to rival the Marauders'.  
  
"So what do we bloody do?" Ron demanded. "What can we do that will truly make this worth it?"  
  
"Let's start the easy way," Draco said patiently. "Who do we know is a slimy, annoying, pompous, stuck-up git we would like to have revenge on?"  
  
Harry and Ron gave each other looks. "You," they finally chorused together.  
  
Draco scowled. "I meant someone who will not be planning the prank?"  
  
"A teacher, preferably," Ron added.  
  
The three looked at each other. "Professor Demeter."  
  
It wasn't that they hated Professor Demeter or anything. It was just that she had busted up every one of their last few attempted pranks. And she was very liberal about taking points of her own House. She especially kept her eye on them.  
  
"What do we want to do that is properly fitting?" Ron asked speculatively.  
  
"But not too mean so that we'd get into too big of a trouble," Harry added.  
  
"And impossible to trace," Draco mused.  
  
The three looked at each other with excitement. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," they said in unison.  
  
Ron immediately began flipping through the catalog. "Hmm. Let's see . Canary Creams, Ton-Tongue Toffees, Trick Wands, oh this is all old stuff. Let's look toward the more advanced pranks. Oh. Sleeping Draught Coffee, Homework Repellent, Confounding Conundrums . Oh here's a good one." Ron looked up expectantly. "Slime Sludge."  
  
"What does it do?" Harry asked eagerly.  
  
"Well," Ron said. "I found it in the food section. It looks like anything you want it to look like, and it tastes horrible. Plus, if even a bit of it is ingested, the drinker will began spouting sludge out of his mouth for a full five seconds. I heard Fred and George talking about it. They were discussing how long it could go before actually hurting the person who drank it."  
  
Harry grabbed the catalog. "Let me see. Here's a good one. Parrot Potion. Just like Canary Creams, except it comes in a goblet, and you belch out a whole bunch of bad words and songs before you're changed back."  
  
"Give it here," Draco said. "Oh, you won't believe this." He burst out laughing. "There's a Harry doll."  
  
"A what?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh," Draco began cracking up. "You have your own Harry figurine, complete with the 'handsome, yet devilish scar'. It talks, too. It can say, 'No matter what you do, remember one thing, my friend. Beware of the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor,' 'Beating Voldemort was a breeze . I scared him away with my handsome looks,' and more. How's that for a bunch of fun?"  
  
"You scared him away with your handsome looks?" Ron burst out laughing.  
  
"Beware the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor?" Draco couldn't stop rolling over the floor, choked with guffaws. "Oh, and there's more. Comes with his own wand, and robes, and trips if you push the yellow button."  
  
Harry glared. "Doesn't anyone forget that?"  
  
The day after he defeated Voldemort, Harry was asked to make a speech. As he climbed the stand, he tripped on his robes, and looked like a fool in front of everyone. Ron and Draco would not let him forget it.  
  
"'Course not," Ron sniggered. "Too good of a moment to a pass up."  
  
"A regular Kodak moment," Harry muttered.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"Ah, it's a Muggle commercial from the States," Harry shrugged. "Never mind."  
  
"So which shall we do?" Draco asked finally.  
  
Ron shrugged. "I'm particularly fond of something simpler. We don't want to get into too much trouble."  
  
"How about an Owlish?" Harry suggested. "She'll turn into an owl for a couple of seconds. It's not harmful to her health, she'll revert back after a couple of seconds, and it's practically untraceable. Just slip one into whatever she's eating that night."  
  
"All right, then," Ron smiled.  
  
"We'll do it," Draco agreed.  
  
"Are you sure you slipped it into the right bowl?" Ron nudged.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," Harry said for the fifteenth time.  
  
They watched as the teachers stood to greet the class. As they sat down, they watched with eager eyes as Professor Demeter sipped her soup . and nothing happened.  
  
All of a sudden, a shriek erupted from the other end of the table. Apparently, Professor Diana had turned into an owl, and was now perched on top of her seat, her beady eyes glaring at everyone. When she reverted back, her voice was terrible. "Who did that?"  
  
No one spoke.  
  
She turned, and her eyes zeroed in on an agape Harry, a shocked Ron, and a stunned Draco. When she spoke, she seemed to speak to them. "Don't think I don't know who you are. Twenty points off of Gryffindor, and ten off of Slytherin. And QUADRUPLE detention for all of the Gryffindors, and double detention for all of the Slytherins."  
  
Protest was heard immediately.  
  
Professor Diana silenced the class with a McGonagall stare. "That is not all, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Malfoy. I would also like for those three boys I just named to come up to the Great Table and dance a jig for the rest of the class."  
  
There was silence in the Great Hall. Snickers were heard. "Go on then, Ron. Come on, Harry. We're waiting to see you dance," Seamus laughed.  
  
"Go ahead," Blaise Zabini encouraged. "See how well you dance a jig, eh, Draco?"  
  
The three walked up, scowling.  
  
Professor Demeter smiled. "Musicio!" Immediately, music began to play.  
  
"Come on now," Professor Diana spoke. "Dance."  
  
The three obeyed grudgingly, ignoring the titters of laughter. "Harry," Ron muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "You're going to pay."  
  
"It's your fault, too," Harry protested.  
  
"You slipped it in the wrong bowl," Draco said heatedly.  
  
"It was an accident!" Harry hissed out of the side of his mouth as he finished his jig and bowed, with Ron and Draco beside him. "How was I to know that Professor Diana would drink Professor Demeter's bowl?"  
  
"You're the prank-puller," Ron explained as they walked back to their spot. "It's your job to know."  
  
Harry made a face. "Whatever."  
  
"Now, we need revenge," Ron glared. "We need to prank Demeter ~and~ Diana."  
  
"You're supposed to say Professor before their names," Harry said.  
  
Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Why? They're the same age as us."  
  
Harry blushed. "Because they're teachers. Besides, I don't think you would dare to call them Demeter and Diana to their faces."  
  
"I would," Draco said.  
  
"Fine then," Harry glared. "I dare you."  
  
"What'll I get?" Draco asked.  
  
"Five galleons if you do it before Saturday. You have to give five to me if you don't," Harry challenged.  
  
"Fine," Draco glared.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"This will be hilarious to watch," Ron snickered, losing his bad humor. "Oh I can't wait."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Diana narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid to say that on your latest Transfiguration quiz, you received a measly 72%. Your grade is pulling down the class, Mr. Malfoy. Care to explain to me why for the question 'Who first discovered the Animagi Transformation?' you put the answer, 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'?"  
  
Draco smiled at her sweetly. "I don't know, Diana. Because I felt like it?"  
  
There was utter silence in the classroom. Pansy Parkinson turned around in her seat to stare at Draco in shock.  
  
"Disrespect for a Professor, Slytherin House just lost 10 points. You, Mr. Malfoy, are serving another detention . scrubbing chamber pots in the hospital wing without magic. I'm sure you will find the . odors appetizing." Professor Diana narrowed her eyes. "And if you show disrespect to a Professor again, I will personally speak to the Headmistress of Hogwarts about a temporary suspension."  
  
Draco gulped. "Yes, Professor Diana," he said. Later, though, he was not as soft-spoken. "What do you mean, I don't get five Galleons! I lose 10 Slytherin points ~and~ get detention, and I don't get five Galleons!"  
  
Harry shrugged, and gave him a hapless smile. "I said you had to call both Professor Diana ~and~ Professor Demeter by name. You only called Professor Diana by name."  
  
"But I'll get suspended if I call Professor Demeter by name," Draco protested.  
  
"Hey," Ron shrugged. "That's what he said. Of course, you can dare him to go and call Professor Demeter by name."  
  
Harry shook his head. "I've never claimed that I would."  
  
"You?" Draco asked Ron. "You're the one that started it all. You go call her by name."  
  
Ron shook his head. "After what happened to you? I think not."  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes. "This means war."  
  
The rest of the week was horrible. The first day, Harry and Ron turned into parrots at breakfast. Draco was coughing up sludge at dinner. On Tuesday, Harry and Ron turned into canaries, while Draco wound up with a rather large tongue at dinner. Wednesday, a number of good old-fashioned Dungbombs and Filibuster Fireworks were discovered in Harry and Ron's beds. Good old-fashioned toads, spiders, snakes, and small imps found their way into Draco's bed. On Thursday, Owlishes that accidentally missed Harry and Ron were discovered in the Ravenclaws' soup. Before the end of the day was over, flying eggs were pelting the Slytherins.  
  
On Friday, Hufflepuff got involved in the fight when a stray deluge of eggs caught Justin Finch-Fletchley. Pretty soon, it was an all and out war between the Houses. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and Zonko's found good business everywhere, while hapless bystanders discovered Acid Pops and other such harmful sweets close by.  
  
The following Monday, Professor McGonagall stood before the students. "There will no more pranks played between the Houses."  
  
A general "Boo!" was heard.  
  
"I have not finished," Professor McGonagall said sharply, shooting everyone a famous "McGonagall Glare." "I was going to say that there will be no more pranks played between the Houses if any more pranks accidentally involve teachers, or endanger students. Is that understood?"  
  
A chorus of yeses was heard, even as more flying objects were thrown across the room.  
  
"Demeter," a voice called. Professor Demeter turned around to see Professor Giorgio, new head of Slytherin. "I'm afraid your students have been caught charming my students in the hall."  
  
"With what?" Professor Demeter inquired, surprised.  
  
"Hair-color changing charms," Professor Giorgio sniffed.  
  
"Well, it's too bad, isn't it?" she asked merrily, as she ducked a stray glob of jelly that plopped onto Professor Giorgio's face. "Lighten up, Regis. It's not every day you experience a War of the Houses." So saying, she ducked another flying knife. Professor Giorgio reached up with his wand, and muttered a few choice words under his breath. The knife snapped in half in midair. (It was designed to go soft if it hit anyone, so as to avoid injury.)  
  
The next morning, Professor Demeter awoke to the chorus of a choir of banshees. She Banished them immediately, before apologizing to them. But as they handed her a piece of paper with the initials RG on it, she saw red. "Regis Giorgio, you will pay."  
  
That night, Professor Giorgio found him mobbed by a swarm of veela who owed Professor Demeter a favor. He was made a fool of in front of the whole school as he danced. Professor Demeter watched in satisfactorily. Professor McGonagall only shook her head, since there was nothing she could do because this was only the Five-Year Reunion.  
  
That's how the first of three months passed. Full of pranks and jokes, and such.  
  
To be continued . 


	3. The Letter

By the time the second month had begun, the pranks had cooled down somewhat. With teachers not afraid to take off points and hand out detentions, enthusiasm began to dwindle. Harry, Ron, and Draco sighed, knowing it was too good to be true. Still, it had been worth it to see Professor Giorgio bedecked in neon pink, and Professor Diana's hair in electric purple. It had even been fun to see Professor Demeter's underclothes hung along a magical clothesline above the great hall despite the quadruple detentions handed to all Houses, each doing despicable tasks involving bedpans, de-eyeing slugs, obtaining the tongues off of snakes, and traveling into the Forbidden Forest to collect bat tongues, all without magic. All in all, it had been very satisfying despite the fact that Ron's mother had been contacted, and he had received an owl (to his dismay).  
  
"RONALD BERTRAND WEASLEY, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! IT WAS ENOUGH TO BE CONTACTED SO MANY TIMES WHILE YOU WERE IN SCHOOL (DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN THE INCIDENT WITH THE FLYING FORD ANGOLA) BUT THE HEADMISTRESS HERSELF HAS HAD TO OWL ME ABOUT YOUR OUTLANDISH BEHAVIOR; I AM ASHAMED OF YOU! NONE OF MY OTHER CHILDREN HAVE EVER BEEN SO NAUGHTY; YOU ARE GOING TO GET IT WHEN YOU GET HOME!!!"  
  
Ron had been tomato-red, and there had been snickers the entire day following the Howler. Ron, of course, had been furious. "Who does she think she is!" he had exploded.  
  
Draco had smirked. "Your mother, of course."  
  
Ron shot Draco a venomous glare.  
  
"What's your problem, Bertrand," Harry teased, doubling up in laughter at the recollection. The whole school had teased him endlessly about that. It wasn't that bad . just that Bertrand happened to be the name of a comical, clumsy, good-for-nothing clownish buffoon on a show on the WWN.  
  
"He was my Great-Uncle on my mom's side, and she insisted," Ron said though gritted teeth.  
  
"Right," Draco nodded. "It really matters," he said sarcastically. "You know they'll tease you anyways."  
  
Ron shot him a furious look and had sulked sullenly for a couple of days, before deciding that the Five-Year Reunion was too short to be spent sulking, and had reconciled.  
  
But that's not the point. We're trying to establish what has taken place in the second month of the Five-Year Reunion. Well, considering it was the Five-Year Reunion, Harry, Ron, and Draco had all chosen easy classes. Magical Housewifery involved magically cooking and taste-testing food. By the end of the first month, it was already established that Harry's food was always to be avoided as most of them were overcooked, undercooked, or were filled with mud or slugs or some type of disgusting thing because he obviously wasn't very good at magically cooking. Lisa Turpin was the resident cook of Hogwarts. In the second month, they would begin sewing.  
  
In Modern Magical History and Magical Society, they were beginning to learn about the Sorcerer's Stone (more commonly referred to as the Philosopher's Stone). Of course, Ron and Harry had done tons of research on Nicolas Flamel and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone back in First Year (ahh, memories), so they breezed through the first week pretty easily. As they lived in Magical Society, and were both Emergency Aurors, on call if something important happens and there are no other Aurors to handle it, as well as their normal jobs. Ron was in a faction of the Accidental Reversal of Magic Squad in which he cleaned up messes in Magical Society, such as the Jelly-Legs Curse done on the President of the United States by the Head of the Senate of Magic in America. He got to travel because of his job, but he also held a part-time job as an amateur Quidditch Keeper. Harry was a professional Quidditch Seeker of the Chudley Cannons, as well as a part- time Unspeakable. Confusing, yes, but Harry's Unspeakable duties were mostly the recording and covering up and private investigations of Ron's faction and another faction called the Secretly Suspecting Sorcerers and Sorceresses. (The "and Sorceresses" was added in 1836, when the witches began to demand a more equal showing of their equality with men. The Secretly Suspecting Sorcerers and Sorceresses conducted private, hush-hush investigations on people who were rich enough to avoid a life term in Azkaban, like Evan Rosier, who was yet still alive and not in Azkaban where he belonged. Draco Malfoy was a Chaser (he was a much better Chaser than Seeker; he confessed that he preferred Chaser to Seeker and had only been Seeker of Gryffindor team because his father had demanded it of him) of the same team as Harry. Draco was also a part-time Law Consultant, but that was about all. He had been offered the chance to be an Auror, and had refused because he had decided that he had had enough of Dark Wizards and Witches.  
  
The second month continued as the learned about the Rise and Fall of Grindelwald. Harry, Ron, and Draco were very eager to learn about Professor Dumbledore's role in the defeat of Grindelwald, and were astonished at what they had heard. They learned of how Grindelwald was almost as bad as Voldemort, missing the mark only because he hadn't been brought back to life. Grindelwald had even developed several new, deadly curses, but the knowledge of those curses died with him. He never revealed his secrets to anyone. He never would.  
  
Merlin's Age was all about King Arthur's reign and the wizard Merlin. Harry liked it the most, because he had always thought Merlin the Wizard, and most of the Arthurian Ages were only a fairy tale.  
  
In famous Witches and Wizards, they learned about Medea, Circe, and Morgan Le Faye. They were currently learning about famous wizards, and (to Harry's dismay) first on the list was he. He almost sunk down into the chair as Madam Pince (who taught only this class) described the times he defeated Lord Voldemort. He was teased mercilessly by Ron and Draco afterwards, who only shut up when Madam Pince caught his eye, and began discussing how his brave companions, sidekicks they were, Ron and Draco, managed to hold off the evil forces long enough for Harry to do the real work.  
  
Ron and Draco, of course, were furious, and Harry had referred to them the rest of the day as "sidekicks" whenever they mentioned the class.  
  
Harry and Draco had taken a Quidditch Tips class, taught by Madam Hooch, while Ron took a Quidditch Statistics class, though he had memorized most of them already. Ron also took a Chess Strategy class (though Harry and Draco teased that he could teach it) while Harry took a Handy and Useful Charms, Hexes, and Spells for Everyday Usage, and Draco took a Famous Pranks of Hogwarts. (You do, of course, understand that many other classes were added because this was the Five-Year Reunion, which mainly stressed fun.)  
  
Harry, Ron, and Draco were delighted to find that their Graduation Prank was mentioned in Draco's Textbook, written by none other than Sirius Black, who made sure to enhance the Marauders' pranks. Of course, the greatest prank every (they were astonished to find) was a prank pulled by Albus Dumbledore himself. Sirius Black had refused to disclose the exact contents of the prank, however, to protect his venerable name. Harry was determined to Owl Sirius right away and ask about it. He knew that Sirius had written a plethora of books on a wide variety of subjects, but he had never bothered to read all of them.  
  
So, anyways, that was how the second month began. But I'm spending too much time talking. Don't you want to find out about the letter from Hermione? What letter from Hermione? All right, I'll tell you .  
  
On Monday of the second week of the second month . Harry, Ron, and Draco received a letter from Hermione. It was plain, and pretty much to the point, but it conveyed what they wanted to know.  
  
Hullo Harry, Ron, and Draco:  
  
I hope you're having fun at Hogwarts, even though I'm not there to brighten your lives. ( Hope you haven't been bugging the teachers up. I'll have you know that I beat you on First-Month Scores, which will probably be put up today. Professor McGonagall herself told me. ( Although I'm pretty busy at work, I'll be sure to be at the Halloween Ball . you just have to look for me.  
  
But . I do have a riddle for you. Where can you buy frogs and quills and sugar pills, bugs and beans and other such things?  
  
If you find it . you find a treat!  
  
That's all I'm saying for now! Bye.  
  
Your sunshine of the day with whom you cannot live without for if you did live without me, you would be permanently stuck in First Year with no one to tell you to study or check your homework,  
  
Hermione  
  
To be continued . 


	4. Honeydukes

"Frogs and quills and sugar pills? Bugs and beans and other such things? What could she have meant?" Harry mused as he strolled down Hogsmeade's streets and Ron and Draco. As this was the Five-Year-Reunion, they were free to visit Hogsmeade anytime they wished over the weekend.  
  
"You can buy frogs at a menagerie and bugs at the Apothecary," Ron suggested.  
  
"Quills are available at bookstores and anything sugary would be at Honeydukes," Draco said.  
  
"That reminds me," Ron said. "I have to get some Chocolate Frogs. I'm still missing a couple of cards."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "What is it with you and your obsession with Chocolate Frogs?" he asked. "I, myself, much prefer Sugar Quills. Or Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. At least you're more adventurous that way. It's a Gryffindor hobby, isn't it? Eating all of the dangerous- looking beans you can find? Collecting cards sounds so . Ravenclaw."  
  
Ron just rolled his eyes. Harry's eyes, on the other hand, were glinting. "That's it, Draco. You're a genius! Honeydukes!" With that, he began running.  
  
"Hey, wait up," Ron panted, Draco behind him. Both exchanged glances as if to say . Harry's finally gone off his rocker.  
  
"A genius? What for? What are you going on about?" Draco demanded as they finally reached the door of Honeydukes.  
  
As they strode in, Harry stopped the counter. He was acutely aware of the fact that if he were wrong, he would look like a large idiot. "I'd like some frogs and quills and sugar pills, please," he said as politely as could be. "And some bugs and beans and other such things."  
  
The lady at the counter had a twinkle in her eye. "Here," she deposited a bag into Harry's hands. "Compliments of Hermione."  
  
Ron and Draco stared at him, agape and confused, as they walked out of Honeydukes. "Huh?" Ron finally voiced both of the boys' opinions.  
  
"Frogs," Harry recited, pulling out a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "And Quills. Sugar Quills. Sugar Pills," he continued, taking out the newly produced sugary product, "Bugs. Cockroach Clusters. And beans. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. And other such things." He dropped an entire pile of sweets on the bench they stopped at. "And another letter."  
  
"I get it," Ron cracked a smile.  
  
"Took you long enough," Draco snorted.  
  
"As if you got it before I did," Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"Let me remind you, ~I~ was the one he said was a genius, not you," Draco smirked.  
  
"Shut up, both of you. I want to read this letter," Harry said absent- mindedly.  
  
To Harry, Ron, and Draco:  
  
So, you've figured it out. I knew if you couldn't think it through, you would have gone to Honeydukes anyways sooner or later to cure your insatiable sweet tooth. Thus, I have enclosed a whole bunch of sweets. I hope you realize that I mean for you each to give me just as much sweets on my birthday. (  
  
Hope you do well in school . you have checked your scores, haven't you? Harry, your scores in Magical Housewifery were dismal. I've heard rumors that you actually manage to do what Fred and George do on purpose . on accident! Honestly, it's just a spell. Of course, I'm not taking Magical Housewifery. And Draco, I'll have you know that although the sheet ~says~ we're tied, Remus, or Professor Lupin, informed me (his star student () that I beat you by half a point on that test! So ha! And Ron . why in the world are you taking Chess Strategy if you're just going to go and beat everybody? I also noticed that few of you took any ~practical~ classes. - glare - Why not?  
  
I had to drop Muggle Studies back in Third Year (you do remember, don't you?) so I'm taking it again. It's hilarious the way they explain what we do. It's even worse than Mr. Weasley and his "eckeltricity". (Here, Ron shouted "What's wrong with that?" before Harry and Draco elbowed him shut.)  
  
And now, for a grand finale, I have a scene for you to witness.  
  
Hermione.  
  
The letter automatically folded itself when the boys finished reading it, and hologram was projected. It showed Harry tripping on his robes ("Not again."), Ron as a baby ("I'm not wearing clothes!") and Draco as a ferret ("How'd she get that picture!") At the very end, the scene ended, and Hermione voice came out from it.  
  
"At the 'Halloween Ball' I shall be,  
  
"And woe to you if you don't spot me.  
  
"I shall hide myself most carefully.  
  
"Research 'Illusione' if me you wish to see."  
  
And Hermione's voice disappeared.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"Did you catch all that?" Draco said.  
  
Immediately, a small piece of paper was ejected wit the words Hermione had just spoken printed on them.  
  
"Another riddle," Harry groaned.  
  
Before I continue, I should explain about this Halloween Ball. At the middle of the second month, a "Halloween Ball" was held. Of course, it was not actually on Halloween, but it reminded students of better, younger, more naïve, and happier times . or so was the reason that Headmaster Grist gave for it a hundred and fifty years ago.  
  
So of course, Harry, Draco, and Ron were doing their best to research "Illusione" before the ball. There was only one problem. They couldn't find anything . in the section that wasn't Restricted.  
  
They would remedy that soon, of course. Soon, they promised each other.  
  
To be continued . 


	5. Caught!

It was nighttime. And the boys should have been in bed...  
  
But of course, they weren't. They were all huddled underneath one Invisibility Cloak. An Invisibility Cloak that had been made to cloak only ~one~ person. So, of course, it didn't exactly cover them entirely. Their shoes and socks showed at the bottom. But none of them were aware of it.  
  
They did make it to Restricted Section without anything happening, however, mostly because of the handy-dandy Marauder's Map.  
  
Of course, none of them paid enough attention to notice the little dot labeled Hermione Granger asleep in the Professor's Quarters.  
  
"Illusione," Draco muttered as he looked from book to book.  
  
"Don't touch that," Harry warned as Draco's hand reached to pull out a book. "That's the one that screams."  
  
Ron gulped. "Okay."  
  
"Illusione," Harry jabbed triumphantly at the thin black-bound book with the title "Illusione Spells of All Kinde" embossed on its cover.  
  
They carefully opened the book.  
  
"It just lists a bunch of Illusion spells," Ron said, after skimming through the table of contents.  
  
"No, look at that," Draco pointed to one obscure name. "Roughly translated, that means Illusione Spell."  
  
"Is that even English?" Harry asked.  
  
"I took Ancient Runes," Draco dismissed as he flipped through the pages. "Here. The Illusione Spell is the most potente of the illusion spells. Casting a glamour upon oneself, it draws attention away from revealing features, and can make one beautiful or ugly. It is primitive, but virtually undetectable. Only the faint smell of vanilla betrays the user of the Illusione Spell."  
  
"Vanilla?" Harry asked. "Why vanilla?"  
  
"Hey," Ron objected. "Vanilla's good. Especially vanilla ice cream. Especially vanilla ice cream with cookie bits in it."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and was about to retort, when a sound caught their attention. Like a pro, he tucked the book underneath his robe and slipped the cloak on. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that Harry and Ron were left unCloaked. At this point, though, Argus Filch had emerged, and protesting to empty air would have their Invisibility Cloak confiscated, among other nasty possibilities. So they remained silent. And glared at a sheepish Cloaked Malfoy.  
  
Argus Filch, however, had not raised a ruckus. He had merely given Harry and Ron a flat stare. "Are you still intent on making trouble for me even after you leave Hogwarts?"  
  
Harry and Ron gave him identical inoccent faces.  
  
Mr. Filch sighed. "I'll give you ten seconds to get back to your Common Room. If you're not there before I am, then I'm afraid I'll have to give you detention. Do you udnerstand?"  
  
Harry and Ron nodded.  
  
"Good. Ready. Set. Go."  
  
In a flash, Harry and Ron were out of the library and in the corridors. Left. Right. Up the stairs. But to their horror, the staircase they were on suddenly changed destinations. Over their shoulders, they could see a smiling Argus Filch making his way to the Gryffindor painting.  
  
Harry pulled out his Marauder's Map. "All right then. Follow me."  
  
He led Ron, weaving, through this corridor and that. They had to duck behind tapestries several times, and they were in a great hurry. They raced down the final corridor and got in front of the Fat Lady. They could see Mrs. Norris coming down the corridor now.  
  
"Victory. Victory." They gasped the password, and entered the Gryffindor Common Room just as Mr. Filch rounded the corner.  
  
"That was close," Harry breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
Ron snorted. "And what was Malfoy thinking? Cloaking only himself?"  
  
"Never mind," Harry said. "Let's go to sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow."  
  
And talk, they did. Draco narrowly avoided being hexed by Ron, who was held back by Harry, who wanted his Invisibility Cloak back. But Draco also proudly held out the fruits of his success. The Illusione book.  
  
"But I was reading it," he said eagerly, "and I found something out. The point of the Illusione Spell is to make a person conspicious. You can manipulate it to make yourself ugly or pretty, but the entire point is to make a person inconspicious. So on the day of the Ball, all you have to do is take out your Marauder's Map, and look for Hermione."  
  
"But it's not that easy," Harry said with puckered brow ...  
  
To be contined ... 


End file.
